Pixiq

Macro, or close-up, photography requires expensive and highly specialized equipment.  You need a fat wallet to capture close-up images of flowers and bugs.

Or do you?

If you’re getting super technical with the term Macro Photography then the answer is yes.

However, if you just love photographing flowers, bugs, and other interesting items up close without having to adhere to the strict guidelines of phototechnicalsnobbery then the answer is not necessarily.

Level 1: Close-up Filters

Many photographers begin their ever winding journey into the world of close-up photography with a set of close-up filters.  It’s only natural really.  They have the lowest barrier to entry in price and they come in all of the standard lens sizes.

The big names are Cokin, Hoya, Tiffen, and Sunpak although there are others around as well.

Technically speaking these “filters” are not actually filters.  They are really more like small lenses that use magnifying optics to shorten your close-focusing distance allowing you to get closer to your subject thereby producing a larger image.

Often you’ll find they come in packs of 3 and are double threaded.  This allows you to layer the filters on top of each other to increase their “strength” but this practice can lead to less than tack sharp results.  Your best bet is to stick the strongest filter closest to the lens element and only stack them if needed.

Level 2: Extension Tubes

When a photographer wants to get even closer and more technical the next logical stage is the extension tube.  The extension tube is added to your existing lens providing the additional separation needed between the lens and the sensor to capture close-up photography.

The big names are Kenko, Fotodiox, Zeikos, Zykkor, and Canon plus there are a few others as well.

Like the close-up filters many of the extension tubes come in sets and can be used in conjunction with one another to amplify your results.  Again, using multiple tubes, like filters, may result in less than tack sharp images. Further, many of the tubes work with the TTL metering mechanisms built into the camera to provide full auto focusing capabilities which can aid in yielding much better results than filters.

Level 3: Macro Lenses

Now we get to the real macro lenses.  This is where the photographers who constantly find themselves looking at the world through a magnifying glass inevitably wind up.

The big names are your typical lens manufacturers like Sigma, Tamron, Nikon, and Canon plus a few other specialty lenses as well.  Note: Nikon calls their macro lenses “micro”.

Traditional lenses are made to focus more optimally at infinity rather than close-up.  Macro lenses are designed to let you focus to life-size (1:1) magnification but can also allow you to focus at infinity.  This tends to make them more expensive.

With a good macro lens you get tack sharp images edge to edge.  This is the “holy grail” of close-up photography as it tends to be a very technical niche in the photography world.

Macro lenses can range in focal lengths anywhere from 50mm up to 200mm.

The big advantage to having a longer focal length macro lens is that you don’t have to get as close to your subject.  This can help to eliminate casting shadows on your subjects and gives you room to work with.  The bonus for a lens like the 100mm macro is that it’s also serves as a great portrait lens!

Do you love shooting close-up or macro photography?  What level are you?